Purim the Jewish Holiday Essay -- essays research papers

Response Paper Purim Purim is the Jewish holiday commemorating how the Jews of Persia escaped total annihilation thanks to the bravery of Queen Ester. Purim occurs on the 14th of Adar, (or in certain walled cities like Jerusalem, the 15th of Adar.) which this year falls on the 21st of March. The story of Purim is recounted in the Book of Esther, found in the Hebrew Bible. Set in Persia roughly 2,300 years ago, the story tells of how a series of events came together to save the Jewish people from genocide. The Persian empire is taken over by King Achashverosh and to mark the three year anniversary of his reign, Achashverosh throws a huge six-month party. Achashverosh brags that Queen Vashti is the most beautiful woman in the Kingdom, and on the last day of the celebration he summons her to dance for the crowd. Vashti refuses the king's request and the King has her killed. Now Achashverosh needed a new queen and wanted a woman even more beautiful than Vashti, so all throughout Persia officials are appointed to select beautiful candidates to succeed Vashti as queen. In the capital city of Persia, Shushan, a Jewish Orphan by the name of Hadassah lived with her uncle Mordechai. Mordechai was the leader of the Jews, and when Hadassah was selected by the kings officials, Mordechai told her "Don't be afraid. Go with them. Do not tell them you are a Jewess. Tell them your Persian name -- Esther. God will watch over you!? Upon her meeting with the King Ester is appointed Queen and every day Mor dechai stood outside the palace gates, waiting for word from Ester. One day outside the palace, Mordechai over heard two men plotting to kill the king. He warned Esther, who told the King, and the two men were caught and hung. Although it was re... ...seeds. The most popular explanation of why Jews eat this three cornered pastry on Purim is that Haman wore a three-cornered hat and eating an image of Haman?s hat is a way to symbolically destroy his memory. There are four main points to the Purim celebration. First, to read the story of Purim in the evening and the next day, and whenever Haman is mentioned to make as much noise as possible to block out his name and memory. Second, is to send gifts of food to at least one friend or relative, because Purim is a time of love and friendship between Jews. Third, giving gifts of money to the poor because Purim is a time or sharing and helping people. Fourth is the special holiday meal eaten on Purim afternoon, and a little extra point is the dressing up, to celebrate how everything can turn upside-down and into something else, and nothing is exactly what it seems to be.